Hermann geuson



H. GRUSON.

GUN CARRIAGE.

Patented July 19, 1887.

N. PETERS. PMloLilhognpher, Washington D. c.

(No Model.)

FFICEQ HERMANN GRUSON, OF BUUKAU, NEAR MAGDEBURG, PRUSSIA, GERMANY.

GUN-CARRIAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,951, dated July 19, 1887.

Application tiled January 10, 1887. Serial No. 223,?87. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IIERMANN GRUSON, of Buckau, near Magdeburg, Prussia, in the Empire of Germany, have invented certain Improvements in Gun-Carriages and Apparatus for Use in Connection therewith, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved guncarriage or apparatusforsu pportiug and working a gun in connection with an embrasure of minimum size, and for raising the gun for firing and lowering the same thereafter to protect it from the fire of an enemy.

My said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawinga sectional view-in which A indicates an armor-plated casing or shield surrounding the gun, and B a lid or cover, which is circular and adapted to fit into the seatC in the upper part of the said casing.

D is the gun, which is mounted between the two side plates or carriages, E, supported upon the pivot F at the upper end of the colum n G. The said column is carried by means of two lugs, H, upon the lever I, having its fulcrum at l, and provided with the counterweight K, and is maintained in a vertical position by the guides G G.

The cover 13 is rigidly connected with the two side plates or carriages, E, of the gun.

The weight K is such that it approximately balances the gun, the gun-carriage, and the cover 13.

If the gun is to be brought into action, the lever I is depressed, thereby lifting the guncarriage, together with the cover, into the position indicated in the drawing. The pointing of the gun in the horizontal plane is effected by turning the gun-carriage upon the pivot F. A lever placed in a suitable position is sufficient for causing the turning. The pointing of the gun in the vertical plane is effected by raising or lowering the breech end of the gun relative to the carriage. The gun is for this purpose supported at the muzzle by two trunnions located in bearings in the ring B integral with the cover. The breech end of the gun is supported upon two segmental bars or racks, L, sliding in the guides M, arranged on the side plates or carriages, E. The other ends of the said segmental racks are connected with a counter-weight, N, by means of chains passing over pulleys N, mounted 011 the carriage between the side plates, 15. The chain or cable passes through the base of the gun-carriage at a point coincident with its center of motion, and extends downward within the hollow column, its lower end being attached to a crosshead, N, whose extremities project through longitudinal slots in the sides of said column and sustain the weights N, which are so distributed around the center of motion as to avoid lateral strains. The said counter-weight N slides upon the column G- and approximately balances the gun. The vertical adj ustment is caused by rotating the hand-wheel O, the motion of which is transmitted by pinions to the racks. The latter are held in engagement with the pinions by the rolls R.

The recoil of the gun is partially countcracted by the weight of the cover B. The remainder is received by the edge of the casing A, against which the flange B of the cover bears immediately after firing. The cover, however, by reason of the distribution of its Weight relatively to the pivot F, always returns to its normal position.

\Vhen the gun is to be lowered out of ac tion, the lever I is released, whereupon the cover B drops into its seat in the armor-easing A.

I claim- 1. The combination, with an arn1or-ring,of the gun and its carriage situated within said ring, a central column by which said carriage is supported and about the axis of which it may be rotated, a lever upon one end of which said column rests, and a counterbalance upon the opposite end of said lever, the fulcrum of the lever being so situated that by depressing its weighted end the muzzle of the gun will be elevated above the armor-ring and by elevating it said muzzle will be lowered within said ring, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a revolublc carriage and a gun movable vertically relative thereto, of a counter-balance for sustaining the gun, said counter-balance being sustained by the revoluble carriage and distributed equally on all sides of the center of motion thereof, so as to avoid lateral strain on the pivot, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the gunearriage, the

vertical pivot about which it is revoluble, the hollow column supporting said pivot and having the vertical slots in its sides, the gun movable vertically relative to the carriage, the pulley supported by the carriage, the chain or cable passing over said pulley, having suitable connection at one end with the gun and extending at the other down into the hollow supporting-column, the cross-head connected to the cable and projecting through the slots in the column, and the weights sustained by the crosshead, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with a rcvoluble gun carriage and a gun movable vertically relative to said carriage, of a counter-balance for sustaining the weight of the gun, said connter balance being itself sustained by the revoluble carriage, and suitable connection between the gun and counter-balance passing through the axis of motion of the carriage, substantially as set forth.

5. The combinali0n,with agun-carriage and a gun movable vertically relative thereto, of a rack-bar connected at one end to the gun, a counter-balance having connection with the other end of said rack-bar, a pinion engaging with said rack-bar, and a hand -wheel for turning said pinion, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

6. The combination,with a gun pivoted forward of its trunnions, of .a gun-carriage, the rack-bar L, having connection at one end with the gun, the pinion P, secured to a shaft journaled in'the gun-carriage and engaging the teeth of said rack-bar, the hand-wheel 0, secured to the shaft of the pinion, the roller R, bearing against the said rack-bar 011 the side opposite the pinion, and the counter-balance having connection with the other end of the rack-bar for sustaining the weight of the gun, substantially as set forth.

HERMANN GRUSON.

\Vitnessesz' J ULIUs VON SeHii'rz, EMIL KALLNEOKER, 

